Intensity toned down for Cowboys, Raiders

Cowboys' second day of practice with Raiders

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
DeMarco Murray, left, of the Dallas Cowboys is stopped by Keith McGill of the Oakland Raiders. The Cowboys and Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
Raider Tyvon Branch gets the high fives from fans after his momentum carried him toward the crowd after a fast moving drill. The Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
The Dallas Cowboys offense and Oakland Raider defenders Jeremy Deering No. 36, left, and Keith McGill No. 39, pile on after the ball pops out on a running play. A skirmish ensued as the Cowboys and Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
Terrance Williams, left, of the Dallas Cowboys is knocked to the ground as Raider defensive back TJ Carrie breaks up the pass play. The Cowboys and Oakland Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey draws a crowd of teammates as he follows through and makes a 61-yard field goal at practice. The Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
Cowboy kicker Dan Bailey kicks a field goal against the Oakland Raiders. The Dallas Cowboys and Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
Devin Street, No. 15, of the Dallas Cowboys is in the middle of a battle with Oakland Raider defenders as the ball pops out after a running play. A skirmish ensued as the Cowboys and Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

CHUCK KIRMAN/THE STAR
Khalil Mack, No. 52, left, of the Oakland Raiders races to a skirmish with offensive players of the Dallas Cowboys after a running play. Raider's No. 48 Larry Asante is at the bottom of the pile as the Cowboys and Raiders held a joint practice and scrimmage for a second day. The Raiders visited the Cowboys training camp in Oxnard Wednesday morning.
08/13/2014 Oxnard, CA

Chuck Kirman

OXNARD, Calif. - Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said Tuesday’s joint practice between his team and the Oakland Raiders provided as electric an atmosphere as he had ever experienced on a practice field either as a coach or a player.

While Wednesday morning’s second of the two joint practices between the two teams might have had a little less intensity, there was still plenty of excitement, including derisive chants from Raiders fans and a pair of mini-brawls, one on each of the two practice fields.

Veteran tight end Jason Witten echoed Garrett’s feeling about the intensity of both workouts.

Witten said after last week’s lackluster showing in their preseason opener against the San Diego Chargers, the Cowboys players felt their play didn’t have the type of intensity they want and need to succeed.

“(Practicing with Oakland) was good work for us. I think the intensity was good. It’s good for us. This has been a big week for us. I thought we did a really good job offensively going after these guys. It’s a good battle, so hopefully we’re better because of it.

“Since we got back from San Diego, I think our football team realized we’ve got to play a lot tougher. We’ve got to execute a lot better if we want to have a chance. I hope it was a sign for us to wake up. Coach talks about it all the time, winning football, and I feel like this week we’ve done that. Good work against them. Obviously, the intensity was flowing.”

There was plenty of intensity during the final drill of the day between the Cowboys’ No. 1 offense and the Raiders’ No. 1 defense. The Cowboys worked their two-minute drill, marching the ball down the field, with the teams knocking heads throughout.

Dallas finished the drill by scoring a pair of touchdowns, including one by Witten, who celebrated like it was a regular-season score.

Cowboys cornerback Mo Claiborne, the man who made the tackle that kicked off Tuesday’s biggest fight, defended himself after a reporter joked that Oxnard police had beefed up security on the side where Raiders fans were because Claiborne asked for more protection.

“I had nothing to do with it,” Claiborne said with a smile. “That thing that went on yesterday was not my fault. I was protecting myself.”

Oxnard police said neither fans nor team members filed any complaint about the incident. Garrett said the team had no plan to fine cornerback B.W. Webb, the player who took a swing at the fan who hit him with a helmet Tuesday. The NFL also issued a statement saying it had no intention of pursuing any action against Webb.

Like Witten, Claiborne felt his team got a lot of positive work by scrimmaging with the Raiders over the last two days.

He said even though he and his defensive mates still have tons of things to improve upon, he felt the effort they displayed over the last two days is a sign of good things to come.

As for the atmosphere on the field, Claiborne said he loved it.

“It felt like a game,” Claiborne said. “The Black Hole is over there, so it felt like a real game at Raiders Stadium (O.co Coliseum). It was good getting the work. We heard plenty of thuds and pads hitting, so it was good.”

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant got into some trash talking with members of the Raiders secondary after cornerback Jonathan Dowling hit Cowboys wide receiver Chris Boyd after he was out of bounds.

The jawing between Bryant and the Raiders players continued after the drill was complete. Just when it looked like Bryant might get physical with someone, Raiders veterans Justin Tuck and Charles Woodson stepped in to defuse the situation.

Unlike Tuesday, when Raiders players spent a good amount of time signing autographs for fans, there was no time for that Wednesday. When the final horn sounded, the Raiders players and coaches hurried off the field to their waiting buses. They headed back to the hotel to change and then flew back to Oakland on Wednesday afternoon.

As for the Cowboys, after three weeks of work, Garrett decided to give his team the afternoon off. As he has done in the past, the coach let kicker Dan Bailey’s leg decide the team’s afternoon destination.

If Bailey successfully made a 40-yard field goal the team would head to the beach. If he missed, they would come back for the afternoon walkthrough. Bailey actually missed, but Garrett gave him another chance.

In return for the second chance, Bailey moved the ball 5 yards back and then drilled the kick through the uprights.

“We didn’t want to do that walkthrough,” Witten said. “That was a big kick by Dan. Dan’s pretty clutch. It’s a pretty gutsy move after a miss to move it back 5. That’s Bailey for you. He’s a guy who’s got a lot of confidence.”

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